Erika Henningsen on ‘Simply in Time,’ ‘The 4 Seasons’ for Netflix

Erika Henningsen has been experiencing fame from all angles this spring. On a latest sunny morning in New York, the actress was within the coronary heart of Instances Sq., fielding well mannered compliments on the road throughout a photoshoot. “I really like your work!” one man supplied, passing by as Henningsen posed with the realm’s iconic signage within the background. On the opposite aspect of the road, it was Henningsen doing the fawning as she stooped all the way down to pet a pair of corgis out for a stroll. It turned out to be Sprint and Lili, an Insta-famous canine duo who boast half one million Instagram followers.

You by no means know who you’ll run into in New York, or the place you’ll run into them.

Henningsen is presently starring in Broadway musical “Simply in Time,” the brand new immersive jukebox-style manufacturing led by Jonathan Groff because the ’50s-era crooner Bobby Darin, which is already drawing a well-known crowd. “Final night time I regarded out [in the crowd], I used to be like, oh, that’s Steve Martin proper there,” she says. “I don’t get nervous, it’s only a very odd expertise to clock individuals while you’re additionally telling the story and to have to inform your mind, ‘OK, cool, that particular person is right here and you’re keen on and respect and admire that particular person, however maintain going.’”

The present’s actors rise up shut and private with viewers members, notably these seated at cabaret-style tables on the heart of the theater. In a single scene towards the top of the present, Henningsen sits down in character subsequent to an viewers member as she watches Groff onstage. “ I all the time love that second as a result of I believe we break the foundations,” she says. “Like, not solely are you gonna watch, you’re really gonna be a scene associate to me now.”

Henningsen, who originated the position of Cady Heron within the “Imply Ladies” Broadway musical, hadn’t got down to do a jukebox musical. “It was by no means really one thing on my bucket listing,” she says. The actress was intrigued by the duo of director Alex Timbers and Groff, in addition to author Isaac Oliver’s method to the e-book, who  “principally subverts the whole expectation of what this jukebox bio musical is gonna be,” she says.

“I believe he cracked the code on how will we give individuals a method in in the event that they don’t know who Bobby Darin is? How will we give them a method in in the event that they don’t know who Jonathan Groff is? In some way the present is ready to meld the worlds of theater followers who’ve identified this complete forged for his or her numerous issues, after which additionally the people who find themselves right here to listen to this traditional period of music.”

Henningsen first obtained the script whereas she was upstate taking pictures “The 4 Seasons” for Netflix, which premieres on Thursday. The eight-part miniseries was written by Tina Fey, who leads the collection in an ensemble forged that features Steve Carell, Colman Domingo, and Will Forte. 

“ Tina has all the time been so encouraging of her actors,” says Henningsen of the “Imply Ladies” playwright and creator. “She leads with a really regular however mild hand. So that you all the time know every thing’s all the time on schedule, everyone’s type. There’s by no means any drama.”

Onscreen, there’s loads of drama to be discovered. The present is a remake of the 1981 movie of the identical title, through which three longtime associates and their companions are reunited over the course of 4 eventful {couples}’ journeys. “All people concerned wished to seize the concept that your pals might be going by means of loss, might be going by means of private chaos and turmoil on the within, after which one thing will occur that makes you and your pal chortle due to an inside joke from 20 years in the past,” says Henningsen.

Return to the thought of fandom and Steve Martin: whereas on set in Puerto Rico along with her costars, Henningsen, Fey, and Carell started discussing the thought of being starstruck by individuals they admire within the business.

“ For me, that particular person was Tina Fey after I was in ‘Imply Ladies.’ Steve is the nicest particular person ever, I instantly felt comfortable, however I nonetheless put him on a pedestal, as a result of he’s simply such a beautiful comedic actor,” she says. “Nevertheless it was humorous as a result of each of them stated Steve Martin was that for them. It was such a bizarre kismet second to be like, ‘oh my God, I’m tongue tied round you — and the people who I additionally admire really feel the identical method.’”

Starring in “Simply in Time” can also be somewhat bit nostalgic for Henningsen, who was in highschool when “Spring Awakening” got here out, the manufacturing that earned star Groff (a infamous performance-spitter) his first Tony nominations. 

“That was when all of the YouTube bootlegs began occurring for the present,” says Henningsen. “There was a second onstage final night time the place we get in a struggle and — he really doesn’t spit on me that a lot — however there was this one second the place the character erupts, and I received spit on in a method that made me flinch,” she provides. “And I simply bear in mind pondering like, ‘oh my god, you watched YouTube movies of this if you have been 17 years outdated, and now you’re the particular person experiencing that.’ It’s sort of a bizarre, wild, full circle.”